Page 27 of My Boss

I immediately realized what I had done. A hot flash hit me. I was as red as Mass wine. Artur, on the other hand, turned as pale as the Holy Host.

This was the end of my great love, but the beginning of a wonderful friendship. If I had been in Artur’s shoes at the time, I would have nailed the thoughtless Maria to the large cross hanging in the nave with studs. But he, surprisingly, was grateful to me. He had finally come out. My forcing him to come out was a liberation for him, something he’d been carrying inside him for several years. He was scared as hell. And yes, it happened on its own—that is, through me. Apparently, God wanted it that way—I was inspired in the house of God to carry out this mission. Evidently, the Creator has a weakness for Marias because He always entrusts us to carry out the difficult tasks.

Well, I’m definitely drunk already.

“So, shall we call?” Artur smiles playfully.

Vodka is coursing through my veins. The offer to make a fool out of Jan is so tempting that it’s a shame not to take advantage.

“I’m for it,” Nina says and sucks the straw of her drink.

“And I am not.” Toska dips a french fry in ketchup and puts it in her mouth.

Jeez, she’s been chowing down a lot. I didn’t even notice that she ordered double fries.

“Why? After all, she’s facing getting fired anyway,” Nina states.

“He may want revenge,” Toska argues. “Instead of handing her a notice of termination, he’ll drag her name through the mud in the industry and spread the word that Maria is incompetent, irresponsible, that she pulls stunts, and then potential employers won’t even want to talk to her.”

For a moment, I feel a stab of anxiety. Would Jan be actually capable of revenge and so cruel? Could he destroy my life in retaliation for a small, innocent prank?

“Toska, after all, he’ll not even know that I’m her friend. He won’t connect us for sure,” assures Artur. “I’ll give him a false name and twist it so that he won’t know his own name. What time was this banquet supposed to start?” He turns to me with a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

I bite my lip in uncertainty. I hesitate for a moment. However, the alcohol I’ve drunk and the excitement of Artur and Nina gives me courage. What the hell. Let it happen!

“Engler was scheduled to leave at five. It’s a four-hour drive to Szczyrk.”

Artur glances at his watch.

“It’s ten to ten. I bet the party started at nine. Your boss is probably partying at full speed.”

I snort.

“Sure, Jan and fun. He’s so stiff that even if they hooked him up to get electric shocks, he would lie motionless like a corpse with rigor mortis.”

“Well, let’s find out.” Artur wiggles his eyebrows, and before I have time to react, he reaches for my phone from the table, types something on the screen and suddenly bursts out laughing. “Isthis Jan?” He presents me the display, which shows the contact I saved today under the nameJan the Stiff.

“The same.” I down another shot of vodka.

“Then we’ll see if he’s such a stiff.” Smiling, he types the number into his cell phone.

I look at him and don’t believe it. Artur Borus, a veterinarian, calls my boss with a sexual offer.

“Come on, you’re drunk.” Toska is the only one sober enough to try to stop him, but he’s already putting the phone to his ear.

I giggle. All in all, it’s hilarious, though quite stupid. We’re acting like we’re ten years old again—poking fun at Jan and having a ball. Who would have thought that all of us have a college education and are approaching thirty. But what the heck, let’s blame it all on the booze. The booze made us do it.

Artur turns speakerphone mode on his phone and puts the phone on the table. A beep is heard, followed by another. My heart starts beating faster.

“Hello.” At the sound of a familiar baritone, my stomach clenches momentarily.

“Good evening, this is Olaf Ball,” Artur says in a low, sexy voice, and I roll my eyes. That’s the name he chose for himself. Just right for the situation. You really have to be ‘ballsy’ to investigate the sexual orientation of your friend’s boss over the phone. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“You are.”

Well, yes, Jan to the core.

“I’ll only take you a moment. You don’t know me. We’re at the same banquet, and I got your number from a colleague in the company. I apologize for not approaching you directly. I thought it would be safer to talk on the phone first. I wonder if you have any plans for the weekend in Szczyrk? I suggest a dinner for two. Or a joint trip to the mountains… Maybe go to the spa? I’mstaying until Monday. Of course, I guarantee full discretion. I can send my photos to your cell phone. Are you interested?”

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